SMF

Hi,

Shave with a DE razor for the first time (using derby blades and a Russian adjustable blade that I decided to gamble on). It was a very pleasant experience (and the smoothest shave I ever had), though I did manege to nick myself a bit under the chin.
Anyway, question is - after the shave itself, I rinsed the razor, dried it by rolling the head on a towel, left it in the open to dry and put it in the box after it dried. There was a bit of gunk inside, and I shave with a razor about once a week (using a machine the other days due to time constraints), so the razor & blade are going to sit with the gunk a while.
Should open the razor and clean it more thoroughly?
How do you usually treat the razor post-shave?

Hi, welcome to the forum.

I just been learning to wet shave, so what I am about to say may be totally wrong, but.... I just wipe the goo off the razors, rinse it in cold water, shake off the excess and let it dry on its own.

Seems fine to, but I stand to be corrected.

John,

Hi dude101, welcome to SMF!

I'm a little compulsive, so I disassemble and clean up my three-piece razor after each shave.

Most just rinse the razor and blade off and leave it in the open to dry. Then they give the razor a more complete clean-up when they change blades. At the same time, as long as the accumulation of soap scum doesn't impede function, there is no hard rule that says you have to clean it off.

If you pack the razor away before it and the blade are completely dry, the blade is at higher risk of getting some rust or corrosion.

It sounds like you are off to a very good start. Keep up the good work.

- Murray

I think you're on the right track. Just rinse it off thoroughly then after it has dried thoroughly you're good to go. Welcome to SMF.

Hey dude, welcome aboard. I just let mine air dry and if it accumulates some build up over time I remove that with an old toothbrush kept for the purpose.

Squire wrote:Hey dude, welcome aboard. I just let mine air dry and if it accumulates some build up over time I remove that with an old toothbrush kept for the purpose.

+1

An old toothbrush works remarkably well.

Welcome to SMF.

I too rinse and just set it out to dry. When enough soap residue accumulates on the metal I soak it in a weak solution of Planisol-M (google it) . Yup, the toothbrush gets used on it as well, and if I need to have a razor clean for the rare picture or whatever, toothpaste can be used on the brush for cleaning the razor.

Edit: you didn't ask about cleaning the brush, but they too need cleaning periodically. I keep a few glycerin soaps in the rotation and they work great, just by using the brush normally it gets cleaned. I don't use any special brush cleaning regimen unless I receive a used brush. Then the Planisol-M comes out and it don't soak the brush, but I'll make lather building motions in the palm of my hand and use the weak solution to get into even the base of the knot. I really thorough rinsing follows with the same motions I used with the Planisol-M. Actually I rinse a number of times; changing the water each time. Then I'll build a soap lather and rinse again thoroughly. After that it'll just get the glycerin soap treatment when the stars align.

ShadowsDad wrote:... toothpaste can be used on the brush for cleaning the razor.

Yup --- my razors all get a going over with toothpaste on the toothbrush once in a while as well.

The toothbrush Wendell? Surely you have more than one.

Squire, has anyone every told you that you have "stoned thinking" ? Gotta love it.

A few ex-wives have commented on my thought process but none said that.

Who needs more than one toothbrush?

It's also known as thinking outside the box. It's not a bad thing.

Squire wrote:The toothbrush Wendell? Surely you have more than one.

I was referring to my dedicated sonic brush head reserved for razor cleaning purposes only, of course.

ShadowsDad wrote:Squire, has anyone every told you that you have "stoned thinking" ? Gotta love it.

That's mint

ShadowsDad wrote:I too rinse and just set it out to dry. When enough soap residue accumulates on the metal I soak it in a weak solution of Planisol-M (google it) . Yup, the toothbrush gets used on it as well, and if I need to have a razor clean for the rare picture or whatever, toothpaste can be used on the brush for cleaning the razor.

Edit: you didn't ask about cleaning the brush, but they too need cleaning periodically. I keep a few glycerin soaps in the rotation and they work great, just by using the brush normally it gets cleaned. I don't use any special brush cleaning regimen unless I receive a used brush. Then the Planisol-M comes out and it don't soak the brush, but I'll make lather building motions in the palm of my hand and use the weak solution to get into even the base of the knot. I really thorough rinsing follows with the same motions I used with the Planisol-M. Actually I rinse a number of times; changing the water each time. Then I'll build a soap lather and rinse again thoroughly. After that it'll just get the glycerin soap treatment when the stars align.

Isn't using a used brush risky?

Risky in what way? Why would it be any different than using any other repurposed brush?